Five high school basketball players with the most Twitter followers

By Lynden Ostrander Mar 1, 2017, 3:30pm

This quartet owns the prep hardwood and captivates the social media world.

Video: Zion Williamson puts on a show, again
See the nation's most electrifying high school basketball talent.

Many high school basketball players love expressing themselves on social media. But people love these five recruits the most.

Here's a look at the five prospects commanding the Twittersphere.

1.  LaMelo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.)
- @Melod1P
, 66,000 followers
High school basketball fans know LaMelo Ball as one of the most entertaining players in the game. His superior ball-handling skills and fancy passing abilities dazzle the sell-out crowds. The UCLA signee has produced many viral plays this season, like calling his own half-court shot and dropping a staggering 92 points in a single game. The 4-star point guard already has the most Twitter followers of any high school basketball player, and he's just a 15-year-old sophomore. With a Twitter handle such as SwaggyMelo - it's easy to see why his 66,000 Twitter followers gravitate to the confident Ball. He's been a pivotal factor in the Huskies winning 64 of their last 66 games going back to the start of the 2015-16 season. Ball is averaging 27.6 points and 7.8 assists per game this year.
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
2.  Zion Williamson, Spartanburg Day (S.C.) @ZionW32, 44,500 followers
Zion Williamson is undoubtedly the most electrifying prospect in high school basketball. His otherworldly dunks are a mainstay on SportsCenter and dominate the Internet. To put the viral sensation's talents in perspective, rapper Drake wore his high school jersey in January. The nation's second-rated junior by 247Sports tallied 51 points in a 76-51 win over Christian Academy (Myrtle Beach) in the South Carolina Independent School Association Class AA state title game. The high-flying small forward averaged 36.8 points and 13 rebounds per game for the Griffins this season. His 44,500 followers can't get enough of him.

3. 
Tyshawn Johnson, Kent County (Worton, Md.) @YVNGSWAG_, 37,200 followers
Tyshawn Johnson has too much swag for a high school referee. That's right - a ref gave the senior a technical foul during a game for his Michael Jackson-like dance moves while dribbling the ball. The viral video broadcasted Johnson's skills to the social world, but that's not the only reason he has 37,200 followers. Johnson is a professional singer and signed with Atlantic Records in January. He's also a renowned dancer on social media. In case you were wondering, his Twitter slogan "YVNG" stands for Young Valuable N' Gifted. That sounds about right! The electric 5-foot-6 point guard will lead the 19-win Trojans into the Maryland Class 1A Regional semifinals Thursday against Cambridge-South Dorchester (Md.).

4.  LiAngelo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.) @LiAngeloBall, 34,700 followers
The big brother of LaMelo Ball also is a UCLA commit. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound threat led last year's national champion Huskies in scoring (27.4), a squad that was ranked the fourth-best high school team of all-time by MaxPreps. Ball, a 3-star shooting guard, has gone off for 72 points in a single game this year and is the Huskies' top scorer again at 33.3 points per game. His 34,700 followers love what he produces.



5.  Trae Young, Norman North (Okla.) @TheTraeYoung, 30,400 followers
The Oklahoma commit is a scoring machine. Young set an Oklahoma Class 6A state record with a 62-point outburst this season and unofficially leads the country in scoring at 43.5 points per game. The nation's third-rated point guard and 18th overall recruit by 247Sports is known for his lethal long-range shot. The 6-1 floor general guided MoKan Elite to a Peach Jam championship last summer, putting up 21.3 points and 7.1 assists per game in the highly-competitive event. He'll lead the Timberwolves into the Oklahoma Class 6A area championship on Friday. His 30,400 followers are always entertained.